Inflatable garment hanger



1952 M, FREEMAN INFLATABLE GARMENT HANGER Filed Sept. 16, 1950 INVENTOR MICHAEL FREEMAN ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEIQ INFLATABLE GARMENT HANGER I H Michael Freeman. Rensselaer. N. Y. Application September 16, 1950, SerialNo.185,207

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to garment hangers.-

' It is an object of this invention to provide a garment hanger that will support the clothes in such a manner so as to maintain them in their normal condition to avoid the wrinkling and creasing now existing when hanging clothes on either wooden or metal hangers.

It is a further object to provide formed resilient means adequately supported, to give to the garment the same support that is found on a human body and therefore maintain the garment in unwrinkled condition ready for use.

It is a further object to provide in association with such a resilient formed body mounted on a hanger cooperating inflatable formed containers for filling the sleeves and body of the garment in order to maintain them in the same condition, form and shape as if worn. Such inflatable supports in combination with the resilient supports make it possible to display clothing in the same manner upon a human body and to give the garment that life-like effect without the expense of mannequins and the like. Such a construction also provides means in domestic establishments for maintaining light weight silks and other garments without creasing due to the collapsing of the garment when merely hung from a suspended hanger of metal or wood.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an isometric front elevation of a typical hanger of my invention, preferably with a suitable exterior covering.

Figure 2 shows the same hanger without the exterior covering, but indicating in some detail the sponge rubber shoulder supports mounted upon the metal plate support.

Figure 3 is an isometric front elevation of the combination of the sponge rubber and metal plate support together with a vinyl film inflatable shoulder body.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 6-4 looking in the direction of the arrows on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a combination hanger and sleeve expander following the general construction of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a combination shoulder support and a body support.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of a shoulder support, sleeve support and body support either inflatable as a whole or independently inflatable.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I designates the customary metal hook which supports a metallic or wooden plate 2 on which is molded a formed shoulder portion 3 of sponge rubber. The sponge rubber is vulcanized directly to the wooden or metallic plate. The sponge rubber is supported by the plate 2 which in turn is supported by the hook I. In this manner a resilient shoulder piece is provided as a hanger. It is shaped to conform to the shoulders of the usual garment.

In Figure 3 and Figure 4 there is illustrated a modification in which an expendable film of vinyl copolymer or any other synthetic resin or rubber is mounted upon the sponge rubber shoulder piece 3 and forms an inflatable body 4 which can be inflated through the valve 5 to form an enlarged shoulder piece. The fllm can be cemented or vulcanized to the body of sponge rubber or cemented to the support plate, but is preferably so arranged as completely to enclose the sponge rubber and support plate, thus providing a cover therefor and eliminating the chance that the film might become separated from the rest of the hanger. In this latter case, however, the film is advantageously cemented or vulcanized to the sponge rubber so that upon inflation of the film the shape of the shoulder part of the hanger will not change.

In Figure 5 this film 4 is extended into the sleeve portion 6. Figure 3 shows the shoulder portion of sponge rubber. Figure 6 carries not only the film 4 but a body portion I. Figure '7 shows a combination of the inflatable sleeve portion 6, the body portion 1 and the metallic or wooden support 2 with the hook I and the sponge rubber shoulder piece 3.

This construction is easily stored when deflated. It eliminates the space problem in crowded stores of a large number of mannequins and it eliminates the unsightly condition of garments when presented to the customer because they are hung upon narrow metallic or wooden hangers which do not present the garment in the way it appears when on a wearer. This disadvantageous presentation of the garment detracts from its sale. The objective accomplished by the instant invention is to provide a close simulation in a shape and easily collapsible form of the human body for the display of the garments or for their preservation and storage.

The low cost, the thorough adaptability to variations in size of the garment and other similar features make the instant invention readily adaptable to a wide variety of use.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within the scope of my invention and the scope of the appended claim the various modifications and adaptations of this invention.

For instance, this invention can be extended 3 to provide formed hips, bosoms, and skirt portions formed by supporting flexing envelopes of various materials in combination with sponge rubber, the sponge rubber being utilized for the bust portions and hip portions where greater bulk and greater support are necessary.

It will be understood that the hanger hook I may be turned to the rear and project from the shoulder portion backwardly and upwardly so as to permit the mounting of a mannequin head to give reality to the display of the garments.

Basically, the fundamentals of my invention consist of a support for sponge rubber portions in combination with inflatable film fillers so as to achieve the maximum of reality with the maximum of support with the minimum of weight, minimum of storage space required in stores and other establishments where space is at a premium.

I claim:

In combination, a hook, a substantially flat plate centrally supported by said hook and providing a hanger for garments, a relatively thick body of sponge rubber mounted on and vulcan- MICHAEL FREEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the filo of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,734,549 Waldy Nov. 5, 1929 1,737,434 Sahagian Nov. 26, 1929 1,910,901 'Koplow May 23, 1933 2,037,077 Knote Apr. 14, 1936 

